SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost RFID Dioxin Sensors

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a new material that can selectively detect dioxins and to incorporate this sensor material into a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag to produce low-cost dioxin sensors that can be used to monitor the food supply for unusually high levels of dioxin contamination. The same equipment used for RFID-based inventory control can then interrogate these RFID sensors. Dioxins are extremely toxic and persistent chemicals that originate from combustion processes and accumulate in the food chain. Increased levels of dioxins in the body are known to cause cancer and other diseases. Despite the significant risk posed by accidental and intentional contamination of food products (especially meat and dairy products) there are no low-cost methods for detecting dioxins. Current testing costs $600 to $800 per sample. This project will seek to develop very low-cost sensors that can be incorporated into the packaging for food products. These sensors could also be used to help track the quality of animal feed and prevent dioxin contamination of livestock.